Ace Your Administrative Assistant Interview by Learning How to Answer These 10 Questions
An administrative assistant works to make their team, a group of executives, or a group of other admins successful, while getting things done in the most efficient way possible. While often behind the scenes, they’re at the core of the business.
“Assistants are uniquely positioned in the center of the organization,” said Peggy Vasquez, author of Not, “Just An Admin!” “They have contact with more people, systems, businesses, [and] clients than anyone else in the company. They have a ton of influence and insight that can make a company be extremely successful or not.” Whether you’re looking for an administrative assistant role as a career launchpad to move into a variety of positions, to become a trusted partner to the CEO or another executive, or to be an invaluable team member at the center of a company, you first need to impress during an interview.
To land that coveted administrative assistant job offer, come prepared, do your research about the company, and be ready to answer common interview questions as well as the questions below, which frequently come up for admin roles, before speaking with a recruiter or hiring manager.
What Are Interviewers Looking for When They’re Hiring for Administrative Assistant Roles?
For entry- and mid-level administrative assistants, companies seek candidates with great soft skills, more so than a predefined number of years’ experience or technical background.
In general, hiring managers are looking for candidates who communicate effectively, solve problems creatively, and stay on top of endless details to support the team and help everyone move the business forward.
The main things hiring managers are looking for are:
Communications skills: As an administrative assistant, you’ll interact with employees at all levels across the company. Communicating in a collaborative, professional, and effective way is key. Hiring managers search for a candidate with those strong communication skills above all else because they know that how well an administrative assistant communicates can make a massive impact on the organization.
Organizational skills: In this role, you’ll be responsible for managing calendars, planning events, project managing, and otherwise hitting deadlines. The small details are vital. When your executive misses a meeting, money could be on the line. An admin staying organized helps the business meet its goals.
Collaboration skills: As an administrative assistant you’ll work with your manager or managers as well as folks in other departments to keep everything running smoothly and deliver on projects. You need to be able to do this effectively.
Computer skills: Much of an administrative assistant’s role is on the computer, whether that be reviewing or writing emails, managing calendars, or crafting PowerPoint presentations. However, you can gain computer skills on the job, whereas communication skills are much harder to teach. So if this is your weak point, don’t panic! You can still land a great position if you show you’re willing and able to learn.
Keep these skills in mind as you prepare to answer questions for your administrative assistant interview. Working them in where it makes sense can help solidify you as the best candidate in the mind of a recruiter or hiring manager.
Read the full article on The Muse.